Chrome

Google continues to hammer away at the divide between what lives in the browser and what's on your computer, releasing a new extension for Chrome that allows files stored in Google Drive to be opened up directly into the relevant app. The plugin effectively further blurs the lines between the cloud and local apps, bypassing the need to first download a copy to your PC or Mac and also making it more likely that you'll have the latest version stored on Drive too.

Previously dubbed "Google Stars," Google has quietly released to the public its new internet bookmark management plugin for Chrome, now known as simply "Bookmark Manager." Currently available through the Chrome Web Store, we say Bookmark Manager has quietly launched because there is yet to be an official announcement from Google, but the plugin seems to be working for many users who are running the latest version of Chrome.

Back by overwhelming demand is the Samsung Chromebook, now in its second iteration. The latest, simply named Samsung Chromebook 2, is the linear successor to the Samsung Chromebook, which dominated Amazon’s top sales list, and can be widely credited with putting Chrome OS on the map and in the lap of many users. Updated both inside and out, does the latest Chromebook from Samsung have what it takes to replace its older sibling on many best-of lists? We find out.

Sundar Pichai has been moving up in the world over the past several years. Word this afternoon is that Google CEO has done some reorganizing of staff duties, putting Pichai in charge of core Google products. While he'd had responsibilities with Android, Chrome, and Google Apps before, Pichai will now take control of search, maps, Google+, commerce and ads, research, and infrastructure. Page has suggested that these powers - until now his - would be transferred so that he might focus on the "bigger picture" - instead of these slightly smaller duties, that is to say.

You’ve probably never heard of Magic Leap, and that’s cool (we hadn’t either). You might be hearing a lot more from them in the near future, though. The startup just finished a venture capital funding round that garnered them a cool $542 million. Leading that funding round was Google, but not Google Ventures. The company proper is making the investment, which also puts Android and Chrome boss Sundar Pichai on Magic Leap’s board. After their tongue-in-cheek cardboard giveaway at Google I/O, it seems augmented and/or virtual reality is a serious game for Google.

The Security Key is not something you probably have in your pocket right this minute. It’s a newer sort of verification system made in partnership with the FIDO Alliance, now working with Google and Google Chrome for an added layer of security for Google websites. With this system you’ll never need worry about being scammed by a website pretending to be Google - not even once. You will need an official U2F Security Key to make it all work to Google's satisfaction.

Google is rolling out a new Hangouts app today, meant to keep your desktop less cluttered while still letting you chat with whoever you need to. With the update, you can work on projects without having the annoying boxes to deal with. Messages come and go like conversations might, tucking neatly back under the icon. It’s a new look for Hangouts on the desktop, but borrows heavily from a mobile app some love to hate. Google also skipped over a key demographic this time around.

Google has updated Chrome for iOS to suit the higher-resolution display of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, meaning no more enlarged fonts and outsized graphics. The new version of the browser comes a day after Google released a new version of Gmail to suit the Retina HD panels on the larger handsets, fitting more information on-screen at any one time. However, the new Chrome version isn't just about a resolution change, with new Drive integration also added.

Google appears to have scored a rather significant hit with the cloud computing universe as they team with Adobe for streaming Photoshop. In the near future, users will be able to work with a full (streamed) version of Photoshop from their Chromebooks with Chrome OS, utilizing the full power of non-local computing and the web.

What should you do when you lose your Internet connection? At least after the initial panic has passed? While some would advise users to detach and relax, Google, unsurprisingly, seems to want you to remain glued to your screen. How? By introducing a game inside the Chrome browser that could keep you entertained while you wait to be reconnected to the World Wide Web.